Advantage Tiger Woods. So much for the world No 2 being “intimidated” by Rory
McIlroy. He was so spooked in his presence yesterday that he outscored his
rival by three strokes when shooting a 66 to lead the Tour Championship
alongside England’s Justin Rose.

Warning signs: Tiger Woods shot a 66 to move into the lead of the Tour Championship in AtlantaPhoto: EPA

Woods’s four-under start saw him leapfrog McIlroy into pole position in the race to claim the $10 million (£6.2 million) bonus for the winner of the FedEx Cup. Should he triumph here at East Lake, McIlroy would not be able to land the biggest jackpot in golf, despite winning two of the FedEx events and heading the standings coming into this finale. And on this form, Woods is now favourite.

Playing with McIlroy for the third time in five weeks, Woods made Greg Norman’s declaration – “Tiger is intimidated by Rory” – look decidedly silly. There were some fireworks when he chipped in on the 12th, but otherwise this was a controlled performance by Woods. “I played well,” he said. “I was almost right on my number in terms of what I could have got out of it today.”

A 69 was hardly a disaster for McIlroy. As the field goes out in leaderboard order, he will not be playing with Woods today, although he clearly enjoys the experience.

“It was another great day in terms of the atmosphere,” he said, after his ninth successive round in the 60s. “I should have been a few shots better, but I’m in a good position. I made some good up and downs.”

McIlroy identified the 35-footer he holed for par on the 13th as key. “That was big as I didn’t want to give a shot straight back after the 25-footer for birdie on the 12th,” he said. “It was lucky as it was probably going 10 feet past if it didn’t hit the hole. It was important for my momentum.”

Anyone in this field could conceivably be crowned FedEx champion on Sunday night and see $9 million enter their bank account, with the other $1 million placed in their PGA Tour pension. Rose requires a win plus McIlroy to finish outside the top 17, Woods outside the top five and a few more “failures” from other players.

It is not likely, but then last year’s champion, Bill Haas, performed the outrageous leap from one place further down the standings (25th). And the Englishman’s fine start means he will play in Friday’s final group with Woods. No, he will not be “intimidated” either.

Rose’s afternoon was highlighted by a 52-putt for a birdie on the par-three 18th. His leap in the air said it all. “That was my longest putt of the year and the 'best-feeling’ putt of the year,” said Rose. “I aimed 15 feet left of the hole and let gravity do its work. To be honest, I was thinking 'two-putt, get out of here’. I haven’t sunk many of those long ones this year.”

Rose’s round was in contrast to the majority of his year, in which he has been superb from tee to green and inconsistent thereafter. He hit only seven fairways yesterday.

“My driving is something to work out before tomorrow but I’m really pleased that I scrambled well today,” Rose said. “I had a different attitude today to last year, when I knew that if I won I’d lift the FedEx Cup. Now I have nothing to lose and everything to win.

“It’s highly unlikely I can win the FedEx, but I feel I have a realistic shot at winning this tournament. There’s 21 of the world’s top 22 here and that gets the juices flowing.”

As, of course, does the proximity of the Ryder Cup. If McIlroy had not already suspected he would be wearing a target next week at Medinah, then his back should certainly be burning now. Paul Azinger, the former US captain, yesterday urged Davis Love’s men to focus on the Northern Irishman, saying: “Beat Rory, win the Ryder Cup”.

On Tuesday, Jim Furyk announced McIlroy would be “a marked man” in Chicago as the home side aim for what would be just their second win in the last six Ryder Cups.

Azinger, the only man to oversee a Stars and Stripes triumph this century, laid out the mission. “The key to this Ryder Cup is Rory,” the master tactician of the 2008 match in Kentucky said. “Just like we used to do with Seve Ballesteros, and Europe has done with Tiger, the US has to find Rory.

“Figure out what slot he’s in and put our hottest players against him. And if they aren’t our biggest names, all the better, because they’ll have everything to gain. If we can beat Rory, we win this Ryder Cup.”

Azinger is a friend of Love’s and has been consulted by his successor, so it is fair to assume he is privy to the game plan. It is becoming ­obvious there will be 12 Chicago hit men patrolling the Chicago fairways. Seek and destroy.